I woke to the world one morning
I did not really know what was going on
I didn't care about tomorrow
I worry when tomorrow comes
I went outside that night
Set the ole imagination a flight

For one second I
I felt like a kid on Christmas day
Feeling stops all if said in a word
I will explain if I may

I climbed up a tree that night
I sat up in the branches and I felt like a bird
It was the best feeling in the world
I felt so good that night that my soul
It seemed to fly around that night
As I flew that night

For one second I
Felt like a bird
Hangin' up in the air
Feelin' stops all
If I said in a word
The feeling to be without a care

Swam in the sea that night
Dove through the waves and I felt like a fish
It was the best feeling in the world

Felt so good that night
My soul it seemed to swim around that night
As I swam that night

For one second I
Felt like a fish
Cruising around in the sea,
The feeling stops all
If I said in a word
The feeling to be free

7 Comments

General CommentThis is definatly a sick song, especiall the verson for manchester TN when he played with string cheese, anyway ,
my opinion is this song is about an acid trip he had (set the imagination fly??) and everything else relates to it
Peace

General CommentAre you guys really that clueless? Acid trip? How happy he once was? Can we look beyond the surface folks? I had to register an account just to correct all the fallacies in these comments.

Clearly this song is about the jam band scene. The first verse takes place before the narrator goes to a jamband concert. But at the end of the verse, he goes out and sets the ol imagination a flight, presumably he goes to a concert.

In the chorus he explains what he felt at the show, and what show did he go to? 2nd verse: "I sat up in the branches and felt just like a bird" This is an obvious refrence to the Grateful Dead. Bird Song, So Many Roads etc are just a few of the many songs that reference birds in their lyric. He goes on to explain the feeling of being at the concert in the next chorus.

What does the narrator do next? He goes to a Phish show, 3rd Verse: "Swam in the sea that night
Dove through the waves and I felt like a fish" I don't have to go into detail on this simile.

In the end, after going to these shows, the narrator has experienced the best feeling in the world, the feeling to be free, which is precisely what the jam band scene offers.

Phishback, you need some good ole "ego-death." You can probably find some at a phish show, if you catch my drift. I used “drift,” is that I reference to Trey? I dunno.
Anyway, David Lynch was once questioned by a school teacher about the meaning of his movie "Mulholland Drive." The teacher said, "I have tried and tried, but I cannot figure out this movie's theme." Lynch replied, "You do know, for yourself, and what you know is valid."
So, phishback, it is possible to come to an independent analysis, which is correct, regardless of the author’s initial intent. To me, this song has always been about mushrooms, but I do see your point about the ‘bird’ and ‘fish’ references, especially ‘worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes.’ Curiously, what is not included in these lyrics is the, “Jah, Rasafari, Ribbit, Woe!” that often accompanies this song. I often ‘visualize’ a grooved out Rasta-Fish swimming around on some Caribbean reef during this part of the song. But hey, that’s just me.

General CommentPhishback, you need some good ole "ego-death." You can probably find some at a phish show, if you catch my drift. I used “drift,” is that I reference to Trey? I dunno.
Anyway, David Lynch was once questioned by a school teacher about the meaning of his movie "Mulholland Drive." The teacher said, "I have tried and tried, but I cannot figure out this movie's theme." Lynch replied, "You do know, for yourself, and what you know is valid."
So, phishback, it is possible to come to an independent analysis, which is correct, regardless of the author’s initial intent. To me, this song has always been about mushrooms, but I do see your point about the ‘bird’ and ‘fish’ references, especially ‘worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes.’ Curiously, what is not included in these lyrics is the, “Jah, Rasafari, Ribbit, Woe!” that often accompanies this song. I often ‘visualize’ a grooved out Rasta-Fish swimming around on some Caribbean reef during this part of the song. But hey, that’s just me.